Practical Eco

Berkeley creates solar financing district

My once home, Berkeley CA, just yesterday approved a new plan to help home owners finance solar panels through a voluntary tax. Effectively the city will use its volume borrowing rates to finance the purchase of solar systems over a 20 year period with the home owner paying a voluntary tax to cover the payments. The tax will be set to be less than or equal to the expected savings on the home's utility bills. The agreement is also transferable if the home is sold.

So will my new home town please start considering something similar?

Nov 3rd is the National Day of Climate Action

This November 3rd has been declared the National Day of Climate Action in a campaign organized by Step It Up, which is a small team based in New Hampshire.  Hundreds of local actions are being encouraged and posted on their central site so you can fine one near you.

Around the Triangle there are two events. One in Carrboro at the Town Commons from 2-4 pm and another in Raleigh at Blue Jay Point County Park from 12-2 pm. So it's possible to attend both.

While I think it's vital to do everything we can to reduce CO2 emissions, I worry sometimes that this is taking some of the limelight away from the many other pollutants that are the result of our high reliance on petroleum. It also seems to drive some people to conclude that Nuclear is the answer (but don't get me started on that). Basically, and I say this as someone who worked with the oil industry for many years, oil is completely poisonous. The many byproducts and pollutants have permeated our lives over the past 60+ years that we've been growing wildly. And people wonder why cancers, asthma and so many other illnesses increased over that period. Well, I had my little rant so now let's go out and cut some carbon emissions.

Mortgage Lenders Get Behind Green Building

Greener Buildings is reporting that several major mortgage lenders are now offering rewards to buyers of energy efficient homes. Citigroup and Bank of America are both offering $1000 off of closing costs in certain cases. Full Story